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18 people were arrested after nine
police officers were injured in Northern Ireland last night as part of the protests. There were also reports on TV that shots were fired.

More than 30 petrol bombs, along with
fireworks, ball bearings and masonry, were hurled at police officers in
a sustained attack on officers in east Belfast last night. Up to 300
people were involved in the disturbances.

Rioting
began a month ago after a vote by mostly nationalist pro-Irish
councillors to end the century-old tradition of flying the British flag
from Belfast City Hall every day unleashed the most sustained period of
violence in the city for years.

Response: The police water cannon is used to douse smouldering debris on a street in Belfast

Under fire: Police officers came under fire in East Belfast, according to reports

Demonstrations: More than 1,000 people marched outside Belfast City Hall earlier today without incident

Destruction: Burning debris blocks the Newtownards Road in East Belfast

Three attempted vehicle hijackings
were made in the Beersbridge Road area. A business premises on the
O'Neill Road was also broken into by several masked men, who damaged the
property and stole a sum of money.

The PSNI said they will be seeking
further arrests in the coming days in relation to the disorder and have
appealed for witnesses.

Conall
McDevitt, SDLP policing spokesman, said those organising the
demonstrations on social media must be held fully responsible for the
resultant violence.

'I
appeal for calm today and over the weekend and ask people taking part in
protests to reflect upon the violence and ask themselves if they want
to be associated with that violence and if that is the best way that
they feel they can have their voice heard,' he added.

'Nobody is in doubt that some
paramilitaries are exploiting these illegal protests to destabilise the
situation and ultimately bring violence back on to our streets.'

Flare: Officers in riot gear gather by a police Landrover with the remains of a petrol bomb, thrown by protesting Loyalists in east Belfast

Spark: Rioting began a month ago after a vote by mostly nationalist pro-Irish councillors to end the century-old tradition of flying the British flag from Belfast City Hall every day

Flag protests: Several police officers were injured during loyalist violence in Northern Ireland over the right to fly the Union Flag

Attack: Police in east Belfast were dealing with serious public disorder in the Castlereagh Street and Templemore Avenue areas last night

Last night, Stormont First Minister
Peter Robinson said violence against the police was a 'disgrace' and
those behind days of unrest were playing into the hands of dissident
republicans.

On Thursday 10 police officers were
injured in East Belfast during a demonstration against the decision to
reduce the number of days the union flag is flown from Belfast city
hall.

'All right-thinking unionists will
want to channel their energies into political activity and to support
the cause of finding political solutions to the problems that we face,'
Mr Robinson said.

'In Northern Ireland the ballot box has primacy and is the only vehicle for choosing the people's representatives.'

Police
in east Belfast were dealing with serious public disorder in the
Castlereagh Street and Templemore Avenue areas last night.

No notice: A police officer in riot gear walks past members of the public at a bus stop in central Belfast

On guard: PSNI officers on patrol as protestors make their way towards the Shankill Road